Buying and selling a home can be a strange combination of very personal feelings and very impersonal relations. Both the buyer and the seller usually have strong emotional connections to the house, but in the course of making the sale, the two parties don’t always meet in person. If you don’t get an opportunity to [...]

Buying a home can be an exciting and somewhat stressful experience. When shopping for your new home, keep in mind that one of the most important aspects of home ownership is often neglected, finding the right mortgage. Your mortgage is the backbone of the entire purchase, but without doing proper research, you might not be [...]

Housing has been a bright spot in economic news as of late and there is more positive news coming from the housing sector. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) is reporting that existing home sales (previously occupied homes as opposed to newly constructed homes) rose in November by 4% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.42 [...]

Houses, like people, can be all shapes and sizes. What you choose to buy might not be what someone else chooses, but the thing nearly all home buyers look for is a well-made house. Home inspectors, builders, and previous owners can all help by informing you of the condition of a potential purchase, but knowing [...]

With minimum down payment requirements for the purchase of your first home, coming up with the funds can be a challenge. Many new home buyers find themselves in a position to afford the carrying costs of their home, but can’t seem to come up with the cash to put the required money down. The specific [...]

Everyone’s home search is different. Some buyers fall in love with the first home they see, and others have wish lists that are harder to satisfy. Buyers typically make their decisions based on location, size, finishes and features, and of course price. What most buyers don’t realize is that the process doesn’t end when you [...]

Whether you’re applying for a mortgage for the first time or are looking at purchasing a new home and will be increasing your mortgage amount, it’s essential to understand how much you can afford. You may think that any number that fits within your monthly budget is comfortable and sustainable, but your mortgage lender may [...]

You’re ready to make that big step into home ownership, which can be exciting, but if you’ve never gone through the process? It’s easy to get overwhelmed but when you have a better understanding of what to expect from the process of obtaining a mortgage, you will feel much more confident about every decision you [...]

You’ve probably heard of CarFax, a service that enables you to get vehicle history reports before you purchase a car to make sure that you aren’t buying a car with otherwise undetectable problems or history that may cost you money in the future. Now BuildFax, based in Austin, Texas is offering a similar service for [...]

November 23, 2009: Sales of existing U.S. homes increased more than forecast in October to the highest level since February 2007, spurred in part by a tax credit that lured first-time buyers. Purchases rose 10.1 percent to a 6.1 million annual rate from a 5.54 million pace in September, the National Association of Realtors said today [...]